Editing Bayonet (section)

===Human wave attack===
The term "[[human wave attack]]" was often misused to describe the Chinese short attack<ref name=appleman363>{{harvnb|Appleman|p=363|1990}}.</ref>—a combination of [[infiltration tactics|infiltration]] and the [[shock tactics]] employed by the [[People's Liberation Army]] during the [[Korean War]] (1950–1953).<ref name=roe435>{{harvnb|Roe|2000|p=435}}.</ref> A typical Chinese short attack was carried out at night by sending a series of small five-man [[fireteam]]s to attack the weakest point of an enemy's defenses.<ref name=roe435/> The Chinese assault team would crawl undetected within grenade range, then launch surprise attacks with fixed bayonets against the defenders in order to breach the defenses by relying on maximum shock and confusion.<ref name=roe435/>

If the initial shock failed to breach the defenses, additional fireteams would press on behind them and attack the same point until a breach was created.<ref name=roe435/> Once penetration was achieved, the bulk of the Chinese forces would move into the enemy rear and attack from behind.<ref name=alexander331>{{harvnb|Alexander|1986|p=311}}.</ref> Due to primitive communication systems and tight political controls within the Chinese army, short attacks were often repeated until either the defenses were penetrated or the attackers were completely annihilated.<ref name=roe435/>

This persistent attack pattern left a strong impression on UN forces that fought in Korea, giving birth to the description of "human wave".<ref name=appleman353>{{harvnb|Appleman|1989|p=353}}.</ref> The term "human wave" was later used by journalists and military officials to convey the image of the American soldiers being assaulted by overwhelming numbers of Chinese on a broad front, which is inaccurate when compared with the normal Chinese practice of sending successive series of small teams against a weak point in the line.<ref name=appleman362>{{harvnb|Appleman|p=362|1990}}.</ref> It was in fact rare for the Chinese to actually use densely concentrated infantry formations to absorb enemy firepower.<ref name=marshall5>{{harvnb|Marshall|1988|p=5}}.</ref>